IT Pros' Biggest 2014 Fear: Data Loss

IT professionals face a multitude of issues each day, but none are larger than the threat of losing data or failing to properly backup and secure mission-critical information, according to a new survey of 230 IT workers by Iron Mountain. "As the volume of data continues to explode, companies are strapped with how to cost-effectively archive that information and protect it from potential data loss," says Jay Livens, director of product and solutions marketing at Iron Mountain. "The only way organizations can accomplish these goals and overcome their limited budgets is to store smart with a mix of cloud, disk and tape technologies." Livens' point is well-taken. With an increasing number of companies relying heavily on digital data, the onus is on IT pros to use any means necessary to keep company data backed up and secure. And sticking with a single solution, like just a public cloud or just tape is no longer a safe option.

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Data Loss Keeps IT Pros Up at Night

A solid majority of IT professionals—68%—say data loss will be their chief concern during next 12 to 18 months.

Data Volume Remains a Major Risk

Challenges abound in the IT world, but none are greater than the rising tide of data. In fact, there's a 77% chance that massive amounts of data will be a major challenge for IT pros for the next year or longer.

Limited Budgets Still an Issue

The U.S. economic might be in recovery mode, but 62% of IT professionals say that their organizations have limited funding for data management and protection.

Tape Isn't Going Away

Although cloud computing is considered the future of storage, tape offers several distinct advantages, according to IT professionals, such as costing 15 times less than a SATA disk.

IT's Daily Dose of Data Issues

Having IT involved in data management is extremely important, and 92% of IT professionals say that they're involved in the day-to-day management of data issues and make data-related decisions with the business side.

Early Adopters But Users of Tape

Fifty-five percent of IT pros say they're "early adopters" of new technologies, making the heavy reliance upon tape, and the desire to be involved in issue management, a key concern for these folks.

Cloud Has Room to Grow

Cloud computing has significant room to grow in the coming years as just 64% of companies say they store their data in cloud-based services.

Disk Storage Stands Tall

Not surprisingly, disk storage is a huge investment for companies, with 85% saying that they rely on disks to keep data safe.

Tape's Low Cost Matters Little

Tape is inexpensive, but IT isn't convinced of its value. Only 53% of companies currently store sensitive data on tape.

It All Comes Down to Cash

All of this information underlines one important point: data-retention compliance is extremely important. In fact, the average cost of complying with data-retention policies is $3.5 million. When companies fail to comply, that figure jumps to $9.4 million.

Don Reisinger is a freelance technology columnist. He started writing about technology for Ziff-Davis' Gearlog.com. Since then, he has written extremely popular columns for CNET.com, Computerworld, InformationWeek, and others. He has appeared numerous times on national television to share his expertise with viewers. You can follow his every move at http://twitter.com/donreisinger.